Week Seven (7/18/22-7/22/22)

  • This week at the Covenant House, while it was busy because it was nearing the end of the month, was a bit more monotonous compared to the others weeks. I didn’t have any large, major tasks beyond submitting applications for public housing for one of my clients. Most of the social workers were delving into the world of grant reports, attempting to produce a stellar report within the most conducive amount of time. I helped some individuals file paperwork while they wrote their reports and some odds and ends paperwork floating around the building. My main task this week was to operate the main phone. The individual who normally answers the phone at the Covenant House is contracted through a third party that normally will decrease their hours at the beginning of their work cycle. From this, they will increase their hours back to 40 after some many weeks. As of result of this, I was responsible for the phones in the afternoon. The majority of calls that we would receive is about utilities- people seeking utility assistance because they weren’t able to make ends meet. If I were to approximate, I had to address nearly 20-30 people over the phone that they were unable to assist them and if it was unknown if anywhere else would be able to provide assistance to them. Since almost everyone is at the end of the grant cycles in Charleston, it was hard to determine who still had money available for utilities. It felt like I was digging a bottomless pit each time I had to break horrible news, attempting to reconcile with names of other places with potential and other avenues of support. Although, I don’t know how much that can help when you’re terrified of your electricity being terminated with two small children.

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